Scotland

Running from November 10-12 on the outskirts of Perth, The Scone Palace Antiques & Fine Art Fair hosts many Scottish dealers. Among them, Carse Antiques brings a selection of furniture and fellow specialists Cathedral Antiques as well as Hilary Farquharson, who will offer antiquarian books.

With sales of post-1860 design a seasonal fixture round the country, an argument could be made for Scottish auctioneers Lyon & Turnbull (25% buyer’s premium) having a geographical edge.

Gilleasbuig Ferguson Rare Books trades from the Isle of Skye and is a member of the ABA, PBFA and ILAB.

Dated by the Edinburgh auctioneers to c.1815-17, a group of watercolours made on a voyage to the Middle and Far East was bid to a far higher than expected £13,000 in a 650-lot Lyon & Turnbull (25/20% buyer’s premium) sale of October 11.

Figuring why a specific lot did unexpectedly well is part and parcel of reviewing auctions but this oil on board lunette of a pastoral idyll below is more of a challenge than most.

In fine art, the ‘Glasgow Boys’ group of artists are famed. In the contemporary jewellery scene, the ‘Glasgow Gals’ are now in the spotlight.

Thomson Roddick has been running auctions across Scotland for more than 130 years but is now planning to expand its operations in the Borders.

Glasgow saleroom Mulberry Bank will offer a late 18th century Qing famille rose bottle vase with an estimate of £1.5m-2m in its October 20-21 auction.

John Alexander (1686-1766) was the son of a doctor in Aberdeen and the great-grandson of the famous artist George Jamesone.

Three gallery shows will focus on Scottish art of the later 20th century.

Enhancing a growing reputation at Edinburgh auction house Thomson Roddick (17.5% buyer’s premium) for optical instruments, a recent sale included 18 lots of binoculars and the like.

Glasgow saleroom McTear’s holds a dedicated military watch auction on September 19. Most entries are from a private collection and include watches from the so-called ‘Dirty Dozen’ – the 12 Swiss manufacturers commissioned to supply the British Ministry of Defence during the Second World War.

It is well-known that the market for Royal Doulton HN series figures is at something of a low ebb. However, the exception to the general rule of bargain-basement prices comes for the small number of very rare figures that appeal to a core collecting base. Many end up in North America.

So much more successful than their 18th century forebears, today’s Jacobites go from strength to strength.

A raft of contemporary and post-war art featured in the busy August schedule in Scotland. Such art remains a picky and tempestuous market north of the border. The latest results were scattered with a mix of bullish and more subdued results.